A Night To Remember, A Time To Forget
by Katerzzzz
Summary: The story of the Titanic's tragic voyage through the eyes of those closest to her. R and R please. Cheers
1. Summary & Disclaimer

**Hello all! I'm back with a new fanfic. Here goes for the summary and disclaimer.**

**Disclaimer: **** I own none of the historical characters in this document and I also own none of the characters that are also in James Cameron's **_**Titanic**_**. **

**Summary: ****"A Night To Remember, A Time To Forget" is a collaboration of fact and fiction. It has both fictional and real characters and follows the lives of some women and their children as they live with some of the men most closely connected to the Ship of Dreams. We follow the story of the voyage through the eyes of each of them (One narrator for one chapter, the narrator will be indicated in bold with an underline at the start of the chapter) and witness the horror of the sinking, and we also see the different outcomes for the individual characters after the disaster. This will be rated as a T overall but will be and M in some places (don't worry, I'll warn you beforehand).**

**I hope you enjoy reading…..**_** XD**_

**Kate (LightsLover12)**


	2. Of Cats and Cushions

**Okay, here goes. Wish me luck. A.N: The character who's name is in bold is the narrator for the chapter.**

**Sylvie Lightoller**

Chapter One

8th April 1912

"Where _are _you taking me, Charles?" I could see nothing even with my eyes wide open.

I felt Charles beside me, one hand round my waist, the other on my shoulder. Beneath me, I could hear the change from wooden boards to metal rods and I could smell the fresh sea breeze and felt it on my cheeks and in my hair.

"Turn around" Charles whispered into my ear, gently spinning me so I became even more lost.

"Ready?" he asked.

"Ready"

Within seconds, the handkerchief which had been tied around my eyes was whipped off and a great burst of sunlight reached my eyes.

After blinking the sun away, I was left observing a beautiful ship, which one could describe now as a floating palace. But when I saw it there, for the first time, it looked too clean, too pristine, too new. I really had to struggle to find anything that I liked about the _Titanic _when I first saw her that afternoon.

"What do you think?" Charles raised his eyebrows, using his hand as a visor from the bright sunlight.

"She's………" I was lost for words "She's….."

He gave a heavy sigh, "You don't like her do you?". He turned round to face the open ocean, disheartened at my lack of an answer.

"No…" I turned to him, placing my hand on his upper arm, "No, Charles, I never said I didn't…."

"But you never said you liked her either" Charles didn't meet my eyes, after a minute he shrugged "Ah well, I suppose not everyone likes her"

"Charles…" I went to touch his face.

"No" he pulled away, "It's fine, Sylvie, dear, it's fine. I just thought it would be a nice surprise for the boys, take them to see her tonight, a sort of little preview, but I guess if you're not keen, then we'll just wait until Wednesday".

"We can still take the boys tonight to see her" I said.

"It doesn't matter now" Charles laughed to himself "I mean, I was an idiot even asking you three to travel with me, the boys have school, and I'm sure you'll be walking round like a bear with a sore head for the voyages to New York and back".

"No I will not!" I insisted firmly "I will be happy"

"For me or for you?" he looked at me behind his mask of rules and regulations with the face I had come to love, the face of a man who had been through so much yet who could not have spoken out about it.

"For both of us" I kissed his lips.

He smiled sweetly before going back into his 'normal' state. "Come on, the Chief'll have my head if he finds you up here, though I suspect he's bought Emily to see her before now so, quick march!".

I laughed as he comically shooed me off of the second promenade deck and back down the flight of steps which he had so carefully guided me up.

"And what is my darling wife going to busy herself doing for the rest of the day?" Charles was back to his usual self as he shut the small white gate behind me which had a sign on it that read : KEEP OUT. RMS TITANIC CREW MEMBERS ONLY. NO CIVILIANS.

"She will be packing" I kissed Charles again, smiling at him as he patted my cheeks. "Go on" I pushed his right shoulder "You get back to work, First Officer".

Mock saluting, Charles replied "Yes M'am"

Turning on his heel, he walked rather like a soldier up the stairs again, only stopping to see me back up the side of the dock buildings and round to the White Star Line Offices.

Walking home, I realised that our sons would be home from their morning of lessons at the local school. I started to quicken my step and when I finally reached my house of 13 years, I felt as if my ankles were about to burst.

Charles had affectionately left his door key under the doormat for me, and as I opened the door, I smiled to myself.

The boys were home.

Pushing my dark hair back behind my face, I placed Charles' key in its drawer in the cabinet beside the stairs.

Walking into the first of two reception rooms, I immediately saw the dark mop of hair that belonged to Andrew.

He was sitting, or rather laying, on the settee, feet propped up on my new floral cushions, busying himself reading the only type of book he bothered taking interests in, boat books, obviously borrowed from his father's impressive collection in our bedroom upstairs.

"Good day, Pandy?" I asked, addressing him by his old nickname, as I sat down in the chair opposite.

Andrew looked at me, glanced at his feet, then back at me, before making the lighting move that involved shoving his feet back on the carpet.

I laughed slightly as he smiled "Mum!".

"Yes, my dear?" I asked, reaching for some left over Victoria sponge cake.

"Daisy said Dad took you out"

"Well, I'm back now"

"Where'd you go?"

"Nowhere in particular"

"Must've been somewhere special"

"Andrew, you do pry so. Where's your brother?"

"Upstairs looking through Grandfather's old business journals, he's mad if you ask me".

"Well, you both like different things" I moved from my seat to place the cake tray out of the reach of our cat, Tab, as he padded in to the room.

"Do you reckon I'll make a good officer" Andrew asked, his eyes following me as I sat back down.

I sighed "You'll make a wonderful officer, Andrew. Captain Lightoller, now that's a title that's evaded your father for a few years"

"He's catching up now though, isn't he?"

"Of course he is" I said, catching Charles' long form out of the corner of my eye as he quickly ascended the steps of our home.

I was about to get up to greet him when I heard the heavy slam of a door and the throwing of something across the hallway.

What was wrong?

**Hope you enjoyed! No flames please, I worked real hard on this in my opinion. Any reviews would be great! **


	3. An Unhitched, Interesting Voyage

**Thanks for the reviews, people! They really boost my writing confidence! Cheers. Now for Chapter 2.**

**Emily Murdoch**

Chapter Two

8th April 1912

Will had been bumped down.

Back to First Officer, that in turn would push Lights down to Second, and in doing that, the original Second Officer, Davy Blair, was to be thrown off the ship's crew entirely.

I hadn't dragged that out of my husband as of yet, having been around ships for most of my life, I had come to realise that when a Senior Officer was bumped, it would affect the other Seniors. It had happened to my father on a couple of occasions.

I had only managed to translate the words "bumped" and "down" from Will as he had returned home from work in a sulk.

I had avoided him since then. I was busy picking out my various dresses for the impending voyage with Jess, my lovely maid. How could one woman need so many dresses for one day? It was beyond me.

I was laughing with her as we tried on many, ridiculous looking headdresses. We turned as there was a knock at the door.

"Come in!" I cried happily between laughs.

Will slowly opened the door, smiling at Jess, "Leave us, for a minute, Jess, please" he said. That was what was sweet about him, he treated Jess as his equal, not his inferior. Jess curtseyed as she had been trained to do, before walking quietly out of the room, shutting the door behind her.

Will waited until she was out of earshot, wandering over to the bed where one of my dinner dresses lay. He fingered the pale blue silk and black lace material of the sleeves and smiled at the long white gloves.

"It's nice" he croaked, still upset about earlier.

"Yes" I walked over and leaned my head on his shoulder "You're still upset, though, so it isn't as nice".

He turned to look at me, his eyes were still rimmed red, "I tried so hard to prove myself" he whispered.

"Will…" I sighed "You said to me the change would only be for the maiden voyage, you'll be Chief Officer Murdoch for the rest of her career".

"Will I?" He asked "I get myself geared up for being Chief then I go and get it thrown back in my face, bloody typical!".

I left him and sat on the bed, "Who is it who's replacing you?", I asked "My father would not asked the officers to be changed at such short notice if the officer replacing you was not held in high regard and was not experienced"

"Oh" Will exclaimed "So I am not held high in the regard of E.J. Smith. For God's Sake, Ems, I am his son-in-law and the father of his beloved grandchild!".

"Will!" I snapped at him, "My father would never do that to you unless he wanted experience that comes above yours, he obviously wanted to be sure nothing would go wrong on his final voyage before retirement"

"And now you're implying that I am the reason things would go wrong on your father's final voyage, that things would be less than perfect with me as Chief!" Will snarled at me via the mirror.

"No" I whispered "No I'm not" I walked behind him and wrapped my arms around his waist, laying my head on his shoulder blade.

His body wracked with a heavy sigh as he whispered "I'm sorry, Ems". "It's fine" I kissed the back of his neck "Now, will you tell me who's replaced you?"

"I suppose it isn't so bad…" he smiled "Henry Wilde".

"Henry Wilde?" I knew the name, Henry Tingle Wilde. A real gentleman of the White Star Line, alongside Lights and my Will of course. He had a tragic past, as had nearly all of the _Titanic's _nowsenior officers. He was well known throughout the company, and was as experienced and knowledgeable as he was charming and proper, and one may say now, looking back, rather dashing.

"Lights isn't too happy!" Will laughed.

That was another thing. It was also well known throughout the White Star Line employees, mainly the scores of officers and various captains, that Wilde and Lights weren't too fond on one another, to say the least.

"I imagine he wouldn't be" I laughed as he spun me round the room.

He laughed too and kissed my nose "Ah well" he pulled me into his arms "If I ain't Chief Officer for one voyage it ain't gonna kill me is it?"

"No, it isn't" I wrapped my arms round his neck.

"And anyway, I've got you, my beautiful wife, and Catie, our beautiful daughter" he kissed my lips.

After a moment, I pushed him away, "Get off! Get off! Haven't you got a uniform to iron?"

"That's what I hired Jess for. Tonight, my darling, I am taking you and Catie to the music hall".

"Oh, darling!" I ran a hand down his face "I love you so much!"

* * *

Catie loved the music hall in Southampton. She loved it even more when her beloved father took her. That night's performers included Catie's favourite, her namesake Katie Carney

We were sitting in the first level balcony seats, as a steward pushed the chair underneath me, I could feel Catie's excitement in waves as she sat on her father's knee.

The variety of performances at the music hall always made me smile, and that night it did. The final curtain fell at 5 minutes to 8, and Catie had fallen asleep due to her excitement throughout the day. She was so looking forward to spending the _Titanic's _maiden voyage with not only her friends, Andrew and Richard Lightoller, but also her beloved Grandfather EJ, and of course, her "Daddums".

Will hoisted Catie's sleeping frame gently onto his left side as we took our leave.

We were walking the short way home when Will called out gently "Lights!", I turned to see Lights, Sylvie and the boys coming our way.

The boys were stealing chips from each other's portions, wrapped in what looked like today's newspaper, as Sylvie kept pinching bits of batter from Charles' battered haddock.

He waved to us with three fingers as he held a half-eaten chip with his thumb and little finger of his left hand.

His eyes were red, redder than Will's had been, so I made the educated guess that he was more upset that Will was about the shuffling of officers.

"Over it yet?" Will walked up to him.

"Nope" Lights shook his head.

"He'll survive though" Sylvie tapped him on his nose.

"Just about" he replied with a grunt "Have to move my belongings out of my…well…your cabin tomorrow"

"Mmmmm" Will agreed half-heartedly "How do you reckon Wilde's gonna take it?"

"He'll be on top of the world, won't he? He's got one over on me, yet again" Lights scoffed.

"Has anyone told Davy yet?" Andrew chirped up

"Yup" Will answered "He didn't take it too well either"

"At least he won't have to put up with the bloody man" Lights ran a long hand through his mahogany brown hair.

"Lights…." Will couldn't help smiling "…do shut up. I'll have you moaning to New York and back about him and I don't want you moaning before Wednesday"

Lights held his free hand up "I'll surrender, for now" he smiled "At least I've got you, my dear" he kissed Sylvie on the cheek "And you two ruffians", he lay his left lower arm on the heads of the boys, much to their annoyance.

"Get off, Dad!" Andrew moved his shoulder sharply, shoving Charles' arm off.

Lights laughed and swallowed "God, I can't stomach vinegary chips like I used to be able to"

I laughed and he turned to me "I suppose Daddy hasn't explained to you the reasons for the reshuffle?" he raised an eyebrow at me accusingly.

"He said that it was just he wanted his last voyage to go unhitched" I told him honestly

"Oh, so, the combination of Will, myself and Davy will cause it to go hitched, then?" Lights asked "As if the godly Mr. Wilde will make much of a difference. For all Smith knows it'll be worse, he knows Wilde and I hate each other, I am not going to go within 6 feet of the man for the length of the voyage!"

"Yeah" Will sighed, laughing "We've got the picture, Lights! We'd better be getting this one.." he gestured to Catie "..off to bed. I shall see you tomorrow"

"Yup" Lights said waving us off as we began to walk again.

"Sorry 'bout Lights" Will said "You know as well as I do that he hates Wilde with a vengeance"

"Why though?" I asked as we reached our front door.

Will shrugged "Apparently, something happened between the two of 'em back before they were married, I don't pry though, Lights snaps and Wilde clams up"

I looked down in deep thought as I stepped through the door.

This up and coming voyage would be more interesting than I originally thought.

**Hope you enjoyed! Review please! I have decided I am going to add the officers (Will, Lights and Jim) as narrators, though they won't have their own chapters all the time, just parts of a chapter, or their own chapter occasionally.**

**Hope you enjoyed!**


	4. The Mind of a Lightoller

**Thanks for reviews again! This is my first child-narrated chapter, there will be more to come though! As will there be Officer-narrated chapters. I have changed the title as I thought since its no longer just the women narrating, the title is now inappropriate.**

**Hope you enjoy reading!**

**Andrew Lightoller**

Chapter Three

9th April 1912

Dad had shown us the _Titanic _last night, I have to admit, I was a bit upset that he'd been knocked down again. It was the third time it had happened to him, and the third time Wilde had been the one to do it.

But that hadn't distracted me from the beauty of the Ship of Dreams. I could imagine it, myself, tall, sun-bronzed, with my father's strong jaw and my dark hair combed neatly underneath my cap as I stood at the bridge of the world's greatest ocean liner, Captain Andrew Charles Lightoller.

I jumped out of my skin as a sharp wooden stick came down on my wooden desk, narrowly missing my nose. Above me, Mrs. Headley, my hated teacher, said in a shrill voice "Mr. Lightoller, I understand that tomorrow you are travelling of the _Titanic's _maiden voyage, but that is tomorrow, today you must continue with your studies".

I muttered something under my breath as she continued to watch over us all like a hawk, her beady eyes focusing on anyone misbehaving.

I continued to write, Arithmetic, I hated it. Richard was better at it than I was. To be quite frank, Richard was better than me at most things, still is today. He was amazing at chess. Regularly beat Dad.

I was better at one thing though, learning about ships, I had the head of a seaman apparently, according to Davy Blair. Even Dad said it was inevitable that I'd end up working on a boat.

I couldn't wait to get home, I had already packed my clothes, that horrid tuxedo that Mum had insisted I take was right at the bottom of my luggage. All I needed to pack now was my football.

That was another thing I beat Richard at, sports.

The lessons dragged until the final bell w as rung and I could safely stay away from the bloody place for a week or so.

I was nearly skipping home I was so happy.

Richard caught up with me as I turned into our road.

"It's finally over" he said, being his paranoid self and avoiding cracks in the road for fear of doing something to Dad.

"Yup" I shook my head "Now, it's just me and the ocean"

"It's not your glory days, not yet, it's still yet to be Dads" Richard reminded me

"But I feel every time I go on a ship I'm that little bit closer to achieving my dream" I told him.

He rolled his eyes as we reached the front door.

We walked in to see our luggage piled high in the hall.

Dad then made his entrance dressed in a navy blue jumper and dark trousers, he looked happier than he had when we left this morning, but was obviously still narked off with the reshuffle as he was muttering under his breath, only stopping to add another case to the luggage collection.

He had his sleeves rolled up, and for the first time, I noticed long scars on his lower arms. What were they?

As he passed me and Richard, who were now standing by the entrance to the lounge, it also looked like he had red rings around his eyes. Had he been crying again?

"Dad" I approached him "Is anything up?"

"No" he shook his head "What made you say that?"

"You seem upset"

"Do I?" he sniffed "Well, I'm not, Andrew. No need to worry about me"

And, for the first time yet again, I saw what looked like an old, reignited fear in his icy blue eyes.

**Charles Lightoller**

Why did he have to pry? Couldn't he have just left me be?

I looked down before approaching Andrew and placing my hands on his shoulders.

Out of my pocket I passed him two pounds.

He looked at me as if I'd given him a diamond.

"Go on, you and Richard go and buy some sweets, you can stop by your friends back if you like" I said, patting his arm.

Andrew looked at me quizzically, "Why are you being so nice?".

"I just…I don't know….it's a father thing" I sighed "Come on, off you go!".

I watched them go before shutting the door behind them. I sighed and ran a hand down my face, I pulled it away to see myself in the mirror.

I'd lost myself

Where had the real Charles gone?

I looked old.

I knew I was no spring chicken. But I wasn't exactly old, either. I was 36. That wasn't old.

Was it?

For God's Sake! I'd been a father twice over at 36 and the likes of that man…what was his name again….John Jacob Whatshisface, they were all becoming fathers in their late 30's early 40's.

I had nothing to worry about.

I did though.

But what was I worrying about?

It was him.

No, no, not Henry Wilde.

Someone else.

Uncle Lightoller.

Just thinking about him sent a shiver down my spine, it still does today, not that much time has elapsed between April the Ninth and now.

But the amount of time that has elapsed between the time of Uncle Lightoller and now has spanned nearly three decades, and I am still prone to quivering at his name.

What had I ever done to him?

I ran a hand up my arms, feeling the long scars wrapping themselves round my skin, refusing to go away, if only they would go, if only, then I could finally have let go of the past.

I closed my eyes and was taken right back to the screams of pain, to the blood soaked cloth against my arms day in day out, and to the cold, heartless stare of Uncle Lightoller.

If only I could pay him back for what he done, I would have.

But I can't.

Can I?

_**Hope you enjoyed!**_


	5. Thomas' Greatest Achievement

**Thanks for the reviews! I am sorry for the late update, but I have been on camping weekends a lot, also have been overrun with homework, and finally have been just generally lazy. I hope this makes up for my laziness though.**

**Hope you enjoy!**

**Helen Andrews**

Chapter Four

10th April 1912

I had to blink as sunlight flooded through my hotel window. I could already hear crowds outside, what they were saying was beyond me, but I could hear that they were happy, whether they were going on the voyage or not, they were thrilled to be a part of history.

A part of _Titanic's _maiden launch from Southampton.

I propped myself up onto my elbows, and turned to my left, expecting to see Thomas, I laughed softly when I saw he was nowhere to be found. He must have already gone down there. I think he was the most nervous of all _Titanic's _2,200 passengers and crew. He had been with her since her creation. He had been with her before our marriage, and before the births of both Elba and Tommy.

So in all honesty, I wouldn't have been that upset if he had loved her more than me. I suspect he did.

I swung myself out of bed, throwing naturally curly mahogany hair over my shoulders. It was getting on for half past eight, plenty of time to pick and choose a dress.

I tied my pink dressing gown around me and walked into my children's room. Tommy still lay asleep in his cot, his thumb in his mouth, a habit inherited from his beloved father.

Elba however, had gone too. I began to panic, but relaxed when our maid, Cathy, told me that Elba had accompanied her father down to the ship. That was one of the many things I know Thomas loved, spending quality time with both Elba and Tommy individually.

As Cathy made me some coffee to wake me up, I set about tidying the hotel room. I was constantly told by various people that I should let the stewardesses get on with it, as it was their jobs, but I had a particular sense of duty to the phrase "If it is your mess, you clean it", and had done since I was a small child.

"Ma'm" I turned my head as Cathy called me "Hadn't we better be sorting out a dress?" she asked, her freckled face grinning from behind frizzy blonde locks tucked under her white crepe cap.

"Yes" I smiled, slipping past her and into the dressing room. It only took me about 20 minutes or so to pick out the dress I would be travelling in; a dark cream skirt, with a white frilled blouse and a jacket to match the skirt, I also coordinated with the outfit an appropriate cream hat with dark flowers . I must admit, I liked the dressing up, but what came with it was sometimes far too much to tolerate.

Of the first class passengers, I knew that Thomas and I would be seeing Bruce Ismay, the pompous, garish owner of the White Star Line, almost every day. Then it would be the Hockley's, well, to be more precise, Mr. Caledon Hockley, the heir to wealthy steel manufacturer, Nathan Hockley, and his young 17 year old fiancée, Rose DeWitt Bukater, and her mother Ruth. I knew of a few others, but can only remember their names by their faces.

Spending time with Ismay would be torture, but I knew I would find some peace in the knowledge that I would soon be rid of the man until his next meeting with Thomas which was sometime in August.

I was thinking of this as I was being laced up into my corset, the first of three for the upcoming day. I had been getting used to the new corsets recently, as I had spent the latter part of 1910 and the whole of 1911 wearing both maternity and nursing corsets, which were easier on the ribs than these Goddamned whalebone cages.

After half an hour, I was changed, and with the exception of the slides in my hair I was all but ready. Whilst I was checking the room to see whether or not I had missed anything during the repacking of our luggage for the trip to America and back, I am meticulous like that, you see, I heard Thomas. How he had placed Elba back in her bed without me noticing I will never know.

"My God, Helen, I am reminded every single day of why I married you, but today, it's just magical" he was leaning on the doorframe, his hair combed with its usual parting, though one strand curled out of place, he was smiling his warm, gentle smile.

I smiled back and walked towards him with my hands outstretched, he enclosed my petite hands in his and spun me under his arm, his grey eyes glittering as I giggled like a girl being courted for the first time.

He took me in his arms and looked at me with that wise, loving, protecting gaze; I felt so loved and secure.

"Are you nervous?" I asked, running my hands down his shoulders.

He raised his eyebrows "I'm shaking" he laughed slightly, holding his left hand in mid air, I could see it was trembling and twitching uncontrollably.

"Poor darling" I smiled, "You will be fine. You have built a glorious ship, this will be your greatest achievement, your life's work"

Thomas shook his head "No, Helen" his soft Irish accent enveloped me "My greatest achievement…my life's work…is my family" he kissed my forehead "My greatest achievement is you".

I ran a hand down his face "Tommy…."

"Hush" he whispered softly , kissing me between the eyes "You don't need to tell me that you love me"

I kissed his lips, "I know I don't. But I want to"

He smiled, but pulled away sharply when Ismay's voice could be heard down the hall.

I turned so my back would be to him.

He opened the door, probably didn't even notice me, and said to Thomas "Come on, Mr. Andrews, we have a ship to launch!"

As he started back down the hall, Thomas looked at me, reaching for his coat "I shall see you in the stateroom" he said, kissing my cheek.

"Yes" I smiled falsely "A-36?"

"A-36 ,my dear" he smiled, looking apprehensive about spending more time with Ismay that was needed. "Wish me luck" he smiled as he combed his hair.

"You'll be fine, remember, it was _you _that built this ship" I told him.

I laughed at what he said as he closed the door "It's not the ship I'm worried about".

_**Will update on Saturday! Hope you enjoyed! Please Read and Review! Thanks!**_


	6. A Great Adventure

_**I do keep to my word, hope you enjoyed the last chapter. I am going to start placing the time into my fics to keep continuity going. Hope you enjoy this chapter!**_

**Richard Lightoller**

Five

10th April 1912

11: 25am

I think I would have got lost in amongst the throngs of people had I not been clinging to Andrew's jacket.

There were so many people. Some passengers, some relatives, others just well wishers. I was amazed by the amount of transport there was, horses and carriages, cars, bicycles. Everyone and everything seemed to fit in this one dock in Southampton.

As we reached some form of open space, where the second class passengers were boarding, I finally spotted Dad. He was stalking round the promenade deck, his uniform neatly pressed and his cap planted firmly on his head.

His expression from what I saw, was professional, yet I knew he was still annoyed about the reshuffle.

He didn't see me, but I think we all saw him, I caught Mum sighing deeply out of the corner of my eye. She looked up at Dad as he passed, I think for all the small arguments they have, they love each other even more.

We continued along to the first-class boarding ramp. I looked up in awe at the _Titanic, _such detail had gone into making her, such meticulous detail. Every plate of steel was lovingly painted, every bolt secured to its utmost.

"Wow!" Andrew's excited gasp caught my attention "Rich, look!".

I turned my eyes to the huge side door we were about to go through.

We stepped into a huge room with beautiful white panelling, with gold décor, and an ornate ceiling. As Mum signed us in, Andrew and I took the liberty that came with being the sons of a senior crew member and wandered through the beautiful mahogany doors and into the Reception room.

I'd never seen so many posh people. They were sitting in chairs, drinking tea or coffee, some exchanging tales and figures, it was a hubbub of people.

Stewards in white coats were already pushing drink carts around to the various people, and some passengers were being met by their suite stewards or stewardesses and were being escorted off to their rooms.

Andrew scratched his head, I think he too was struggling to take in the sheer amount of expensive clothing, expensive belongings, and expensive people that were in one room.

He looked at me, with a look of horror on his face, it was so funny I couldn't help but laugh. A few heads turned our way, some looked at us with annoyance, for ruining their quiet conversation, some with a smile.

"Andrew! Richard!" I heard a voice call.

I turned, but Andrew cried back "Catie!"

It was Catie Murdoch, who I had last seen asleep in the arms of her father the other day.

She looked particularly elaborate today, as I think we all did, she smiled at us and skipped over.

She usually greeted us with a hug, but obviously doing that sort of thing here would create serious furore. So today it was a simple hello, I then saw her mother, Emily, sitting with someone who I vaguely recognised as the ship-builders wife, Helen Andrews.

Emily turned to us and waved, Andrew and I waved back, and then Emily signalled for Catie to come back to her.

"I've got to go now" Catie said "I'll see you two around", she ran back to her mother.

Andrew turned to me and elbowed me in the ribs , "Someone likes Miss Murdoch!" he chanted.

"Someone likes Sarah Wilde" I retaliated.

That made Andrew blush, "Shush!" he cried.

"What?" I said "It's true. How would you feel if I went and told Mr. Wilde?"

"Tell him what?" Andrew said as he made his way up the grand staircase to B-38, our stateroom "That I, a Lightoller, like his daughter! No chance, Rich. He'll have your head and I'll get the blame from Mum and Dad"

"It could be just Dad that he doesn't like" I made a fair point as I trotted up after him.

"Yeah, well, I wouldn't like to find out the way Dad did" Andrew quipped as he leant as far as he could over the banister rail.

I laughed at that. "I'm hungry, I wonder what they serve for lunch" Andrew said, as he quickly manoeuvred along the C-Deck landing.

"Probably not the delicacies of sugar mice and humbugs" I told him as we began to ascend the second staircase.

"Mum's gonna murder us you know" I said as we trudged past various men and women. One party caught my eye, a man dressed in a beige suit, with his black hair slicked back underneath a bowler hat, and two women, one much younger than the other, with striking red hair, the younger woman wore a white and purple pinstriped skirt and blazer, with a wide purple hat, and the other one wore a dark green velvet ensemble, with fur, and a hat to match.

"Wonder who they were?" Andrew asked, I shrugged. As we continued he said "And no, Rich, Mum isn't going to kill us, because we are going to see Dad, and Dad always gets us out of trouble"

"Suppose" I said as we reached the B-Deck landing.

"This is going to be so great!" Andrew was practically pirouetting up the stairs. "A real adventure for Andrew and Richard, the greatest explorers ever!"

_**Hope you enjoyed! I will update soon, maybe tomorrow .Please read and review! Happy days!**_


	7. The Commoner's Tyrant

_**Hope you enjoyed the last chapter. Right! Now, I am no longer going to narrate the chapters, I realised I can't cover everything that's going on if I have people narrating, so I'm going to separate sections of chapters with stars. Hope this is ok and that you enjoy this new chapter!**_

Six

10th April 1912

11:50am

Will breathed in the fresh sea air as he stood at the stern, waiting to signal that all was ready to sail in just about 10 minutes.

He had gotten over his demotion after meeting Henry again, the new Chief was a likeable chap, who had been through a lot and didn't deserve any hassle, and besides, Will reminded himself, it would only be for _Titanic's _maiden voyage that he would be First Officer.

"_Try telling that to Lights though" _Will thought, Charles was still wound up by the whole demotion affair, and having Henry appear in the flesh had just made it worse. Will knew that Charles would be rather cagey and ratty for the duration of the voyage.

Will scratched his left temple, there weren't many passengers about, those that were about paid no attention to the First Officer, all they were interested in was saying goodbye to their friends and relatives in Southampton and looking forward to their new life in America where they would prosper.

Will silently wished them luck, he turned his head as Officer Boxhall called "Are we ready to set sail, sir?".

Will then cried back "Yes. We're ready to launch!".

He watched as Boxhall held a white flag in the air which signalled to the engineers and sailors at the bridge that all was clear at the stern.

Will waited a couple of minutes, and said his private goodbye to Southampton. By now, most of the steerage passengers were out on deck, waving to well-wishers, whether they knew them or not, they were going to the New World on the world's greatest liner and they wanted everyone and anyone to know.

Will then quietly slipped round ecstatic men, women and children, and climbed up the stairs to the Promenade Deck.

"DADDY!" he turned as Catie called him.

"Hello, my little button!" he said, throwing Catie over his right side, she looked beautiful, wearing a blue velvet pinafore with a matching hat. Her hair was piled under her hat in curls, and her green eyes shimmered in the daylight.

"Where have you left Mummy?" he asked her, his eyes warm and gentle.

"She's in the bedroom" Catie said "Can you come and stay with us tonight?"

"Sorry, sweet" Will shook his head "I am looking after the ship tonight, perhaps if I read you a story before you go to bed, eh?"

"Yeah!" Catie nodded eagerly.

"Have you found Andrew and Richard?" he asked.

"I have seen them, but I don't know where they are now" Catie said, "Can I see Granddad?"

"Not yet, button, I'll get him to come and see you in an hour or so, okay?" Will asked, walking over to the side with her, "Can you see, Catie, we're moving. Look, wave goodbye "

Watching Catie waved goodbye to her home for the first time made Will's heart melt. He kissed her cheek as she beamed and waved as the ship was manoeuvred slowly out of the dock by a tug boat.

As the dock began to disappear from beside them, Will turned with Catie still in his arms and walked back down the promenade deck and asked Catie to direct him to her and her mother's stateroom.

* * *

Charles had just returned to the bridge .The boys had been up here looking for him apparently, but he had been down at the bow with that irritable man Henry Wilde.

As Charles mooched into the Officer's Smoke Room, he sniggered quietly, there would be one upside to his demotion courtesy of Wilde _"I am the only man on the ship who knows how to get the best Scotch" _. He laughed at that thought, he knew that Will was more partial to a pint of lager than Scotch, but if that wasn't available, the Dalbeattie native would gladly drink whatever was on offer.

Charles removed his cap and placed it on a small wooden table beside a comfortable green armchair, he ran a hand through his hair and sat down, stretching his legs out and his arms above his head.

He sighed as he closed his eyes. He heard muttering and footsteps to his right, but took no notice. With not only the late watches, rounds to do, but also with the annoyance and stress of being under Mr Wilde, Charles would find the next couple of weeks rather long and sleepless, so was wanting to get as much as he could.

"Shall I wake him?" Charles heard Harry Lowe, the Fifth Officer, chirrup. "No, no, that'll backfire on you" Joe Boxhall replied, the Fourth Officer had served under Charles before, and knew from bad experience how snappy Charles could be when awoken abruptly.

Charles opened one eye "Trying to wake me up, boys?" he asked.

"No, no, not at all" Harry smiled like a village idiot "Just wondering why you're sleeping and its just gone noon"

Charles opened the other eye and sat up, "Harry, my poor boy, when you have worked in the industry as long as I have, long being 25 years, you come to realise you need to sleep whenever possible"

Harry stared unblinkingly at Charles, "Oh, so, that's why?" Charles nodded "Yes".

"Gents, why are we sitting around doing nothing?" Wilde walked into the room, a piece of folded paper in his left hand. He looked up at Charles, Harry and Joe from where he stood at the long table that would probably be serving drink later that evening.

His lips curled slightly "Any answer?". Harry shook his head "Sorry, sir, no".

"Well, if that's the case, get on out there, you don't get anywhere in life by standing still" Henry ushered the young Officers out.

"I'm rather worried, my dear Wilde" Charles quipped "You and me alone in a room. God knows what would come out of it"

"And with God it shall stay" Henry said, he looked at his piece of paper before handing it to Charles.

"What is this, Henry, a written apology?" Charles smirked.

"Nope. It's from someone called Beatrice. A parcel came with it, I got one of the postie boys to drop it in your cabin" Henry spun on his heel.

"Beatrice" Charles remembered the name "She is my cousin".

"Charles, to be perfectly honest, I don't want to take a trip down Memory Lane with you" Henry said as he slunk out the door.

Charles was intrigued, why would Beatrice, with whom he hadn't corresponded with in years, suddenly contact him out of the blue.

He wondered.

In his cabin, as Henry said, there was a brown package tied with string, waiting for him on the desk.

As Charles undid the package, which he had decided was a tin box, he read his cousins note again.

_Dearest Charles,_

_I have missed you over the years, and was wondering how you are getting on. _

_Please reply to the above address, and I hope you delight in these old photographs and mementoes as much as I and your sisters have done. _

_Yours, _

_Bea_

The photograph bit baffled the Second Officer, from what he dared remember of his ill-fated childhood, there were very little, if any, photos taken of him.

He opened the box and laughed slightly. The first photo that greeted him was that of him sitting amongst the fields of sheep around his Uncle's country farm in Lancashire.

Charles smiled at the various other photos, he had grown up as a orphan, his mother dead and his father as good as, he had grown up with his sisters on his Uncle's farm. But he reached one particular photo, and his blood ran cold.

Uncle Lightoller.

The Commoner's Tyrant.

His Uncle Lightoller, a hard-nosed man who ruled with a dictating manner and an iron fist, had always made Charles feel like an imposter. He had hated his brother, Charles' father, and wasn't best pleased when his younger brother dumped his four children on him and his wife to raise.

Auntie Mag had been the total opposite to her husband. Kind, gentle, and sweet, Aunt Mag had loved Charles and his sister's like her own. Charles had been distraught when she had died when he was only 10.

Charles quickly flicked through the remaining photos to see if any others bore the face of the dreaded Uncle Lightoller.

Luckily none of them did, and the one that did, Charles set his lighter to and burnt.

As he watched the flame feed on the 'happy' family faces, Charles remembered that cold October night when he was barely 6, after accidentally letting the pigs out of their sty, when Uncle Lightoller had flew into a inexplicable rage and had, after one presumes a severe amount of alcohol mixed with a unpredictable temper, grabbed the long wooden cane propped up in the corner of the kitchen and had preceded to hit the small Charles, as Aunt Mag could only watch and his elder sisters weep. After that night, the beatings became a daily ritual, even if Charles hadn't done wrong, the cane would still crack down on his arms, legs, and very often, his cold, small back.

Charles flicked his lighter shut and closed his eyes, trying so hard not to cry.

He flinched as he ran a hand down his arm, as if the marks had only been inflicted yesterday.

The marks would not go away, so why would the memories?

_**Hope you like. Sorry about the length! I got a tad carried away. Please R+R and tell me whether or not the not-having-a-narrative part worked! Cheers! Any queries about this fic feel free to PM me. Also if you would like to borrow any of my OC's please PM me.**_


End file.
